Duke is the 2018-19 Atlantic Coast Conference preseason favorite, according to the media poll conducted as part of the league’s annual Operation Basketball held Wednesday at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.
The Blue Devils, who finished 29-8 last season, earned the program’s 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and advanced to the Elite Eight for the 21st time in program history, received 52 of 121 first-place votes and totaled 1,709 points in the preseason poll released Thursday.
Duke will enter the upcoming season a very different team from last year’s model. The Blue Devils are expected to rely heavily on a talented incoming class freshman class that includes athletic forward RJ Barrett – the media’s choice as ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year – Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, Tre Jones and Joey Baker.